Peanut-digger.



PATENTED MAYY 12,'1908.

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No. 887,340. v

R. F. MOSS.

PEANUT BIGGER. APPLIOATION FILED MAB' 7 907 No. 887,340. PATENTED MAY12,- 1908.

4 R. F. MOSS.

PEANUT BIGGER. APPLIOATION FILED MAR.7,1907.

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UNITED sfrarirsgririrnr onirica.

RIGHELIEU F. MOSS, OF BOOKER, VIRGINIA.

PEANUT-BIGGER.

Application filed March 7, 1907.

To all whom 'it may concern: l

Be it known that I, RrenELrEU F. Moss, l a citizen of United States,residing at Booker, in the county of Sussex and State of Virginia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Peanut-Diggers, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in peanut diggers, and has for itsobject, the provision of improved and simplified mech anism foraccomplishing the harvesting 'of peanuts or similar crops, which shallbe durable in construction, and thoroughly practical and efficient inoperation.

The invention further consists of a peanut digger embodying certainother novel features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts, substantially as disclosed herein and as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of my improved peanut digger. Fig. 2, is alongitudinal sectional view taken through the body of the machine. Fig.3, is a bottom plan view of the machine. Fig. 4, is an elevation of themain axle and the clutch mechanisms thereon. Fig. 5, is a detail bottomview of the shovel and mold boards.

In the accompanying drawingsz-the numeral 1, designates the main shaftor axle, upon the ends of which are j ournaled in the usual manner, thesupporting and driving wheels 2 the inner ends of the hubs of thesewheels being preferably provided with ratchetteeth 3, to be engaged bythe similar ratchet teeth 4, on the sliding clutch members 5, the use ofwhich will be described later. The throat or body portion of the machineis formed with the parallel sides 6, between the forward ends of whichis journaled the carrier shaft 7, and between the rearward ends of whichis journaled a similar carrier shaft 8, the endless main conveyer, 9,being supported upon these two shafts, the lower side of this mainconveyer being supported on slack-adjusting rollers 10, journaled in theslotted links 11, which are adjustably pendent Yfrom the body of themachine. Angular bracket plates 12, are pivotally secured at 13, to thesides of the throat at the forward end, and by means of a slottedrearward extension 14, may be clamped to the sides at any requiredincline. Secured to said brackets is a depending shovel or plow 15,having a pointed nose to enter the ground. On the lower face of theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Serial No. 361,047.

plow near each angular edge, is provided a pair of spaced lugs 16,through which are passed securing pins 17. The mold boards 18, are eachprovided with a tubular extension adapted to iit between the lugs 16, onthe plow with the securing pin passing tl1crethrough, so that by meansof this connection, the mold boards are removable, and different moldboards to suit different conditions in the soil, etc., may be readilysecured in position upon the plow.

Flow beams 19, are secured to the bracket plates 12, and the forwardends of the beams are pivotally engaged in the arched axle 20. A pole21, is pivotally secured to the forward side of the axle 22, to whichsuitable double trees may be attached as desired. A rock shaft 28, isjournaled to the body portion of the machine, to one end of which isaffixed the operating lever 24, which by means of the rocker arms 25 andconnecting links 26, serves to raise and lower the plow point, a ratchetand segment plate 27, serving to retain the parts in the properposition. The operators seat 28 is suitably supported upon the standards29. Stub shafts 30 are journaled in the sides of the throat forward ofthe axle, which upon their inner ends carry `the agitator cams31,havingsmooth cam surfaces adapted to engage and shake the mainconveyer. Pinions 32, are mounted on the outer ends of the stub shaftsand are driven from the large spur gears 33, which large gears areeither integral with or are affixed to the sliding clutch members 5, theclutch members being thrown into and out of mesh with the teeth on thesupporting wheels, by means of the levers 34, which are fulcrumcd to thestandards 29, these last-named parts being best shown in Fig. L1. Themain conveyer is driven by means of the small pinions 35, on the outerends of the rear shaft S, which mesh with the large gears carried by theclutch members.

Extending rearward from the sides of the throat are the pair ofdepending side boards 36, the outer ends of which are further supportedby a brace rod 87. A shaft 3S is journaled in the extreme rear of theside boards 3G, and another shaft 39, is journaled in the pair ofslotted links or brackets 40, these brackets being adjustably secured atthe forward end of the side boards. Sprocket chains 41., pass over thesprocket wheels L12, on the shafts 38 and 39, and secured to thesprocket chains are the cross bars 43. This 2 ser/,saro

last described or auxiliary conveyer is adapt* ed to receive the plantsfrom the main conveyer after most of the earth has been shakentherefrom, and as it is geared to run at a slower rate of speed, theplants are deposited in piles upon the ground. An' extra shaft 44, isjournaled between the side boards 36, in the adjustable slotted bracketplates 45, which carries upon its outer ends the pinions 46, forengagement with the sprocket chains 4.7, these last named sprocketchains serving to convey motion from the extra sprocket wheels on theshaft S, to the auxiliary conveyer.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings,the many advantages and general usefulness of myA invention will be atonce evident, and it will be obvious that I have provided a peanutdigger which accomplishes all the results herein set forth as the objectof the invention.

I claim:

l. In combination with the main conveyer of a peanut digger, adjustableroller supports for the lower run of the conveyer, a transverse shaftjournaled beneath the upper run of the conveyer, and cams on said shafthaving smooth cam bearing surfaces to engage and support the upper runof the conveyer.

2. The peanut digger herein shown and described consisting of the bodyportion and sides of the machine, the axle and wheels supporting thebody portion, a main conveyer mounted in the body portion of the machinebetween the sides, gears slidably mounted on the axle to make clutchengagement with the wheels, one of the gears making operative connectionfor operating the conveyer, slack adjusting rollers adjustably dependentfrom the sides to support the lower run of the main conveyer, a camshaft journaled between the sides having operative engagement with theother gear, cams on the said shaft engaging and supporting the upper runof the oonveyer said cams having smooth cam bearing surfaces.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHELIEU F. MOSS.

Witnesses: l

WM. N. MOORE, CAROLINE OsBoRN.

